Always test your smoke alarms!

6/19/2021 (Permalink)

Has your apartment or rental home owner ever given you a list to cross off and hand back to the property manager saying you have checked that everything worked and nothing is broken? Did you test out the smoke alarm to make sure it worked?

When smoke alarms are properly installed and maintained, they save lives. According to the National Fire Protection Association (https://www.nfpa.org/), residential smoke alarms should be in every bedroom and on every level, including the basement. In office and commercial environments, check your state requirements or contact your local fire marshal to help ensure all codes are met. Test smoke alarms monthly using the test button. Smoke alarms with non-replaceable batteries need the entire smoke alarm unit replaced every ten years. Other alarms need batteries replaced every year, and the unit replaced every ten years. If the alarm chirps signaling low battery, take the proper steps to replace the unit or the batteries immediately. Never disable or remove the battery from an alarm. Almost half of fires where smoke alarms were present but did not activate had missing or disconnected batteries. In larger commercial facilities, hard wired or wireless smoke alarms offer benefits such as not needing to be tested as often and activating throughout the entire building if smoke is detected in just one area. If you need help installing, testing or changing batteries in your smoke alarms, contact your local fire department, an electrician or the American Red Cross (https://www.redcross.org/).

Be sure your home or workplace has a fire emergency plan in place and conduct regular fire drills. For more information on emergency preparedness, contact SERVPRO of West Pasco at (727)847-3000.